Three youths have been charged in connection with a November 2018 case in which a woman, Sandra Ryder, 53, of Homosassa was found shot in the head at her home near Grover Cleveland Boulevard..
The Sheriff’s Office said that they were called to the woman’s home at 6143 W. Wayward Loop on Nov. 21, 2018 at about 12:43 pm.
Upon arrival, found Ryder laying on the ground with an apparent head injury. Deputies quickly started cardiopulmonary resuscitation until emergency medical services (EMS) arrived. Upon arrival of EMS, Mrs. Ryder was pronounced deceased at 12:55 pm.
During the search for possible suspects and evidence, detectives discovered that several residents in the area said they had heard what they believed to be gunfire, and pointed out a possible residence in the proximity of this incident where they believed the gunfire originated.
At that time, detectives made contact with a group of juveniles at the residence, who were then questioned. It was later determined that the juveniles had been shooting in the wooded area behind the Ryder’s residence. Firearms, as well as several spent ammunition cartridges, were collected for evidentiary processing.
After gathering and analyzing the forensic evidence for this case and communicating with the State Attorney’s Office, on April 2, 2019, the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office arrested three juveniles for the manslaughter of Sandra Ryder and for possession of a firearm by a minor.
Arrested were:
- Zoey Ellan Andersen, age 13 (DOB 05/31/2005)
- Joseph Shane Finn, age 14 (DOB 08/18/2004)
- Jason Byron Simms, age 14 (DOB 07/22/2004)
“The loss of Sandra Ryder the day before Thanksgiving was devastating. Now, the futures of the three juveniles responsible for her death hang in the balance as prosecutors prepare to bring the case to court,” said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. “Teenagers can be impulsive and reckless. Unfortunately, for these three, their careless actions took another person’s life and will carry harsher consequences
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of Mrs. Ryder,” Sheriff Prendergast said.
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